The Clippers will look to extend their winning streak to five games against the Philadelphia Sixers, with whom they share numerous former players and interesting storylines.

Game Information

Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

When: 3:00 PM PT

How to Watch: FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: James Harden – Amir Coffey – Kris Dunn – Derrick Jones Jr. – Ivica Zubac

Sixers: Tyrese Maxey – Jared McCain – Kelly Oubre – Caleb Martin – Guerschon Yabusele

Injuries

Clippers: Kawhi Leonard Out (Knee), Norm Powell Out (Hamstring), PJ Tucker Out (Away from Team), Cam Christie Out (G-League), Trentyn Flowers Out (G-League)

Sixers: Joel Embiid Out (Knee), Paul George Out (Knee), Kyle Lowry Out (Hip), Adem Bona Out (G-League), Jeff Dowtin Out (G-League), Justin Edwards Out (G-League), Lester Quinones Out (G-League)

The Big Picture

The Clippers have won four games in a row for the first time this season, and has been the case all season, their defense has led the way. The Clips are up to 5^th in defense, trailing just the same teams they have all season – Thunder, Magic, Rockets, and Warriors. Their offense has fallen all the way to 24^th, but they are getting just enough to scrape by in low-scoring affairs. The Clippers have been committed to defense, and the next step for them needs to be cutting down on those nasty turnovers that get other teams out in transition and away from the Clippers’ suffocating halfcourt defense. Not many people would have predicted the Clippers would be three games over .500 this late into the season with zero games from Kawhi Leonard. We will see if they can continue to prove the skeptics wrong.

The Antagonist

The Sixers’ season from hell has continued. Philadelphia is just 3-12, placing them 14^th in the abysmal Eastern Conference. Joel Embiid is back out with knee swelling after playing just a handful of games. Paul George hyperextended the same knee he hurt in preseason and has not played at close to an All-Star level in the games he has appeared in. The good news for Philly is that Jared McCain, the 16^th pick in the 2024 Draft, looks like not just a future star, but a star right now. That is exceptionally rare for a rookie, but McCain appears to be the real deal. He’s averaging 16.5 points per game on an absurd 62.8 True Shooting due to his high-volume, high-percentage three-point shooting and nearly perfect free throw marks (97.1%). Despite how bad the Sixers have been (28^th in offense, 19^th in defense, 26^th in Net Rating), the East is so bad they are only a few games back of the play-in and only a couple more back of an actual postseason berth. They have plenty of time to turn things around, and if McCain is this legit, they have too much talent to not make their way up the standings.

Notes

So Many Connections: The Clippers and Sixers might have more overlap than any other team in the NBA. Even with Paul George out, the Sixers have three recent former Clippers in their rotation with Reggie Jackson, Eric Gordon, and KJ Martin. The Clippers, meanwhile, have James Harden, Nic Batum, and Mo Bamba, who were all on the Sixers last year. There are thus opportunities for revenge games galore, with Harden back in Philly being a chance for either a triumphant return or a disastrous outing – let’s hope for the former.

Slowing McCain and Maxey: With Embiid and PG out, the Sixers’ offense is heavily reliant on speedy guards Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain. The Clippers have frequently been vulnerable to speedy and explosive guards in the past, but this is a new Clippers team, and they now have two defenders in Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. who can at least hang with such opponents. This will be a tough test for the Clippers’ defense, as even though the Sixers’ offense has been abysmal this season, Maxey and McCain are very difficult threats to manage. Dunn and DJJ have been up to the challenge so far this season, and this would just be another notch in their belt if they acquit themselves well.

Punishing the Sixers Inside: Conversely, with Embiid out, the only true big man in the Sixers rotation is Andre Drummond, who has been quite bad this season. In fact, he’s been so underwhelming that Nick Nurse benched him last game to start a small-ball unit with Guerschon Yabusele at center. If Nurse goes with that unit again, the Clippers should go to Ivica Zubac early and often. Yabusele is stout and a tough defender, but Zu has a major height advantage and should be able to get his hook shots off without issue. One of the things I really haven’t liked in recent games is the Clippers’ tendency to play Zu higher up on the perimeter and running dribble hand-offs behind the three-point line with him. He’s not comfortable with the ball out there and isn’t a threat from that far out – I’d love to see a game where he’s getting the ball deeper into the paint on a frequent basis.

Running more for Jordan: It’s been great to see Jordan Miller getting minutes with the Clippers’ second unit the past couple games with Norm Powell out, but I would really like to see the Clippers try to get him more involved in the offense instead of just having him watch Kevin Porter Jr dribble and shoot. Miller’s talent has popped off the screen whenever he’s gotten minutes, and it’s a waste of his downhill driving game to have him parked behind the three-point line. The Clippers should work in a couple pet actions for him to get him with momentum driving to the rim, as he’s a fantastic finisher and a phenomenal foul-drawer. Let’s see what the second-year guy can do.

Clippers vs Sixers Preview: Revenge Games Galore
Robert Flom

The Clippers have their highest profile and most meaningful game of the season so far in former star Paul George’s first game in front of Clippers’ fans since he went to Philadelphia this summer.

Game Information

Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California

When: 7:00 PM PT

How to Watch: ESPN, Watch ESPN

Projected Starting Lineups

Sixers: Tyrese Maxey – Kelly Oubre – Paul George – Caleb – Andre Drummond

Clippers: James Harden – Norm Powell – Derrick Jones Jr. – Terance Mann – Ivica Zubac

Injuries

Sixers: Joel Embiid Out (Injury/Suspension)

Clippers: Kawhi Leonard Out (Knee), Mo Bamba Out (Knee), PJ Tucker (Away from TV), Cam Christie Out (G-League), Trentyn Flowers Out (G-League)

The Big Picture

The Clippers are now 3-4 after their comeback win over the Spurs on Monday, and have continued to solidify their standing as an excellent defense (7th) and poor offense (23rd). They are also closing up a five-game homestand that so far has resulted in just one win – despite rave reviews about the experience, the Clippers are not defending homecourt at the new Intuit Dome to this point. Still, it’s hard to be disappointed with the Clippers considering their talent disadvantages against most teams without Kawhi and the spirit (though not always execution) which they’ve played with so far.

The Antagonist

The Sixers have had a less than ideal start to the season. Superstar Joel Embiid has not played a game yet as he’s been rehabbing a knee injury (sound familiar?) and bombshell free agent acquisition Paul George just played his first game on Monday after missing the first five with a bone bruise in his knee. Despite refreshing their depth this summer with almost an entirely new team, the Sixers have struggled mightily with Embiid and PG out, winning a single game due to Tyrese Maxey heroics and dropping several others in blowouts. The Sixers are 26th in offense and 21st in defense, putting them at 27th in Net Rating – they have not been better than their record so far.

Notes

PG’s Return: This game is on ESPN for one reason – it is Paul George’s return to Los Angeles after five years in a Clippers’ jersey. PG, of course, left under somewhat acrimonious circumstances this summer, and left a bad taste in the mouth of fans with his disappointing performance in the 2024 playoffs. He is going to want to prove that the Clippers were wrong for letting him walk this summer and for not giving him the max contract he wanted. The Clippers, in turn, will want to get this win and outplay their former star. I’ll be curious to see what reception PG receives – the Clippers will play a tribute video, but I would guess he receives mostly if not entirely boos in this one. I’d love if Derrick Jones Jr. shut him down again, ad would be appreciative if things got chippy. We know this one means more than an average game, and I’d like to see it treated that way.

Terance Struggling: Terance Mann has had a tough start to the year, averaging just 5.4 points on 39.5% shooting overall and 16.7% from three (2-12) while averaging 3 fouls in 23 minutes per game. His defense has been fine enough outside of the fouling, but Terance has not been able to get his threes to fall and more importantly has not been willing to take enough of them. The Clippers have been outshot from three in every game until the Spurs’ win, and have to get three point shots from elsewhere on their roster besides Harden and Norm. The Clippers should try to get Terance going with a couple easy looks and hopefully he can have a big game against a porous Philly defense. The Clippers can go elsewhere on their roster instead of Terance – Kris Dunn, Amir Coffey, or Nic Batum – but they need him to be better and more confident.

Small Ball Battle: While the Sixers start Andre Drummond and play him a lot, the Sixers go small with their second unit squad, and sometimes play small for extended stretches. The Clippers have played Kai Jones in the first half of games this year, but have mostly gone away from him in second halves. For good reason. Jones has been brutal this season, and I’m waiting for the seemingly inevitable move when the Clippers go away from him entirely. Because the Sixers go small themselves, it might be easier for Ty Lue to go small as well. I’ll be interested to see how much Kai plays in this one.

Clippers vs. Sixers Preview: Paul George’s Return
Robert Flom

The Clippers finally showed some grit, coming back from a 15-point deficit on the road in Philly to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat with a 108-107 win that came down to the final possession.

Summary

The Clippers once again got off to a rough start, with the starters misfiring on offense. Kawhi was 0-4 in the first period, and Paul George and James Harden with 1-3 apiece, with the Clippers’ Big 3 scoring 5 points on 2-10 shooting total. Terance Mann led the Clippers with six points on two threes, while the Clippers gave up nine points to Tobias Harris alone, and trailed 30-18 after one. It was every bit as bad as it sounds.

The second quarter started just as dismally. The Clippers ran out a Harden-Russ-Norm-Coffey-PJ (Mason played a few minutes at the end of the 1^st) unit that was so tiny on defense and on the glass that they made Paul Reed look like what I imagine Wilt Chamberlain looked like in the 60s. The Clippers brought in Zu for PJ and PG for Russ and order was restored a bit, with the Clippers actually stringing together some stops and scoring in transition. Kawhi and Terance returned around the 6 minute mark, and another Clippers’ burst got the deficit to 45-40 when PG picked up his 3^rd foul and Norm checked in for him. Kawhi missed two open shots, Maxey made two, and the lead went back to 10 at the 2:03 mark. However, for once, the Clippers closed a half well, and a beautiful Harden dish to Amir (back in for microball) got the deficit to just 50-46 at half. Harden (11 points on 4-8 shooting, 6 assists) and Mann (10 points, 4-7 shooting) were the standouts, with PG and Kawhi combining for just 2-14 shooting and six points.

The Clippers came out on a quick burst, going on a 10-5 run keyed by two PG threes that saw them take their first lead of th game. However, a quick 6-0 Sixers run got their lead right back to five. For a few minutes, the Clippers played well, but just could not make headway because of how cold they were from the field, with Kawhi particularly frigid, sitting at 1-11 at one point. However, the Clippers kept battling, and a Kawhi steal and dunk got the Clippers another one-point lead around the 3:30 mark. Unfortunately, Maxey and Hield went on a run of their own, with the Clippers looking slow out on the perimeter. The third quarter ended and the Sixers led 79-75.

A quick 5-0 run by the Sixers against a Russ-Norm-Coffey-PG-Plum lineup had them up nine and there was once more the fear of a 4^th quarter slipping away. However, PG answered with a three, and scored again, bringing the deficit down to four once more. Kawhi checked in at the 9 minute mark for Plumlee, with the Clippers going small. Harden came back a couple minutes later for Russ, and a Harden layup in transition followed by a great pass to a streaking Kawhi in transition got them to 91-89 at the 6:20 mark.

From there, both sides went small. Maxey and Hield were the main guys for the Sixers, while PG continued to carry the Clippers. Every time the Sixers scored, the Clippers answered. The clock ticked away, and it seemed like the Clippers could run out of time, as the Sixers led by 3 with a minute to go. However, Maxey slipped, Amir got the steal, and was fouled, making one of two FTs. PG then knocked the ball off Oubre on the inbounds, and after a Clippers’ challenge, the Clippers got the ball back. Coffey got into the paint, found a cutting Kawhi for an insane and-one finish, and the Clippers led 105-104 with 44 seconds to go. Hield nailed a deep three on good defense by the Clippers, putting the Sixers back up two. Not to be denied, Kawhi went for another and-one, giving the Clippers a 108-107 lead with 15.7 to go. The drama was not finished. Kelly Oubre went for a drive, and Kawhi blocked him. Nurse challenged, and the call stood, creating a jump ball with 5.1 to go. The Sixers got the ball, but PG played good defense on Oubre, who did not get the shot off (and Kawhi blocked it anyhow). Clippers win.

Notes

A Great Three Quarters: After the abomination of a first quarter, the Clippers strung together three good quarters for the first time in several weeks. They outscored the Sixers 90-77 across that stretch, with the defense being particularly notable. Yes, the Sixers were missing Embiid, and Melton, and RoCo. But still, Maxey is great, and they got great contributions from Hield and Bamba – and the Clippers persisted anyway. Their forcing the ball out of Maxey’s hands in the late 4h was absolutely the right call, and they defended and gang rebounded with force. Their offense wasn’t always pretty, but that had a lot to do with Kawhi being ice cold until the 4^th and missing open shots. It certainly was not perfect, but on the road against a competent team that also played hard and well it was a very nice performance.

New Rotations: Ty Lue switched up his rotations once more in this one. There was no Daniel Theis, but Mason Plumlee played the end of the first quarter and start of the 4^th (he would have played the end of the 3^rd but various situations kept Zu in), while PJ played just a few minute at the start of the 2^nd. The small-ball unit down the stretch did not feature Russ or Mann, but instead the Big 3 with Norm and Amir. That spacing, with the Clippers’ 5 best shooters all on the floor, finally opened up the offense. Whether that unit is sustainable against better offensive teams with more size remains to be seen.

Clippers win Thriller in Philadelphia, 108-107
Robert Flom

The Clippers have lost two games in a row in horrific fashion, and will now take on the victors in one of those games, the Sixers, on the road in Philadelphia.

Game Information

Where: Wells Fargo Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

When: 4:30 PM PT

How to Watch: ESPN, Watch ESPN, Bally Sports SoCal

Tickets: For great deals on Clippers tickets, check out Barry’s Tickets!

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: James Harden – Terance Mann – Paul George – Kawhi Leonard – Ivica Zubac

Sixers: Tyrese Maxey – Kyle Lowry – Kelly Oubre – Tobias Harris – Mo Bamba

Injuries

Clippers: None

Sixers: Joel Embiid Out (Knee), De’Anthony Melton Out (Back), Robert Covington Out (Knee), Kelly Oubre Questionable (Shoulder)

The Big Picture

The Clippers’ slide has finally resulted in what has felt like the inevitable for weeks – their loss of the 4 seed to the rising Pelicans. Not just that, but the Kings, Mavs, and Suns are all within striking distance of the Clippers. It’s very unlikely all three teams would pass the Clippers, but the Clippers could certainly drop to 6, or even 7, if they don’t turn things around soon. It’s not looking good, folks, but hopefully the Clippers will improve down the last leg of the season with real pressure on them.

The Antagonist

The Sixers have fallen from the top of the East to the middle of the play-in due to Joel Embiid’s injury as well as injuries to Melton, Covington, and other key players. However, they have won just enough games to keep themselves out of the lower half of the play-in bracket. They are also just a game and a half back of the Pacers in 6^th, and if they’re able to get healthy in the regular season, it’s possible they make a push out of the play-in entirely. Every game matters a lot to the Sixers, and they will be playing very hard to keep their heads afloat with a dozen games to go.

Notes

Does Small-Ball Continue: The Clippers’ rotation adjustment against the Pacers on Monday with Russell Westbrook back in the lineup was to go small with their second unit, eschewing Daniel Theis or Maso Plumlee in favor of PJ Tucker at center. Predictably, while these units moved faster and had more spacing, they completely sacrificed rim protection and rebounding without really even boosting perimeter defense. I think PJ only really works on offense without another big man, but I don’t think those lineups are tenable on the other end. I don’t think Ty Lue scraps that approach after just one game, but it will be interesting to see if it does any better moving forward.

Hunting Cam Payne: For whatever reason, Cam Payne kills the Clippers, probably just because he’s fast. Regardless, it’s irritating and a very bad sign for the Clippers’ defense. A solution is actually available on offense, where the Clippers could relentlessly pick on Payne, who is 6’0 tall and 185 pounds on a good day and is food on defense. If they target him by getting their wings (or even Russell Westbrook) on him, they should be able to play him off the floor. He’s not a good player and the Clippers should be able to punish him on defense. Or they could just go right at the Sixers’ best defenders and bash their heads into a wall, as is their modus operandi.

Disclaimer: 213Hoops may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this post.

Clippers vs Sixers Preview: Does the Slide Continue?
Robert Flom

The LA Clippers worrisome habits continued as they fell at home, 121-107 against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Summary

When Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue took his seat the podium for his postgame media availability, he couldn’t help but express his frustration.

The Clippers had just suffered another disappointing loss at home, this time against the short-handed Sixers, and Lue was left searching for answers.

“They’re grown men and they understand we’re a veteran team. It’s not like we’re playing with second and third year players,” Lue said. “I’m never the type of guy that wants to show a player up or show them that they’re making a mistake, I’d rather not do that. . .but they understand what the f**k. . I mean they understand what they’re supposed to be doing. . .we just got to do better.”

Sunday matinee games have never been kind to the Clippers in recent seasons, and it’s one of the key reasons why they’re anticipating the move next season to Intuit Dome where they won’t be competing for time slots against other teams.

But even so, with a tightening playoff picture in the Western Conference, and the New Orleans Pelicans breathing down their necks for the fourth seed, the Clippers have let key opportunities slip away.

This time, it was against a Sixers team that was missing Joel Embiid, Kyle Lowry, Nicolas Batum, De’Anthony Melton, and Robert Covington. The Clippers found themselves down 41-29 at the end of the first quarter.

They trailed by as many as 17 before using a 16-0 run to get back into the game. They managed to tie it up at 70 in the third quarter before the Sixers surged ahead by double digits once again, This time, the Clippers energy was spent coming back initially and they had nothing left in the tank.

“It’s embarrassing when you lose to a team like this. It’s not saying they don’t have great players over there, and Nick Nurse is a great coach but you come in minus Joel Embiid, Nico sits out tonight, RoCo is out, Kyle Lowry is out. . .you’ve got to take advantage of those type of things, type of games,” Lue said. “It is frustrating, showing the same thing over and over and not getting the results you want consistently. . .you keep talking about it but at some point you got to do it, so that’s it, that’s all I got to say.”

Clippers vs. 76ers Game Recap: Struggles Continue
David Yapkowitz

The Clippers will look to keep their momentum going against an injury-riddled Sixers team missing reigning MVP Joel Embiid.

Game Information

Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA

When: 12:30 PM PT

How to Watch: Clippervision, Bally Sports SoCal

Tickets: For great deals on Clippers tickets, check out Barry’s Tickets!

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: James Harden – Terance Mann – Paul George – Kawhi Leonard – Ivica Zubac

Sixers: Cameron Payne – Tyrese Maxey – Buddy Hield – Tobias Harris – Mo Bamba

Injury Report

Clippers: Russell Westbrook out (hand), Norman Powell questionable (leg), PJ Tucker questionable (calf).

Sixers: Joel Embiid out (knee), Kyle Lowry out (rest), De’Anthony Melton out (spine), Robert Covington out (knee), Kai Jones out (hamstring).

The Big Picture

The LA Clippers return home after a brief two-game road trip to Portland. They returned 2-0 with both wins being incredibly important. With the New Orleans Pelicans recent surge, the No. 4 seed is not guaranteed for the Clippers.

The Clippers have made a lineup change as well. Bones Hyland, who was plugged in as the backup point guard in Russell Westbrook’s absence, has now been removed from the lineup.

And speaking of Westbrook, the Clippers backup point guard is expected to return to lineup soon, possibly by early next week. Since he’s been sidelined, the Clippers have missed the intensity and energy he brings to the second unit.

Right now this is a team struggling to define their identity, as Paul George mentioned last week following an embarrassing loss at home to the short-handed Atlanta Hawks.

A few wins against struggling teams, like the Blazers and Sixers, could be what the team needs to string together a little consistency and make a surge during the final month of the regular season.

The Antagonist

The Philadelphia 76ers come to town beat up and reeling. They began the season looking like a possible NBA Finals contender, but an injury to Joel Embiid as well as various other injuries have stymied their momentum.

This team was once in contention for the a top-three record in the Eastern Conference, but they have slipped all the way to the eighth seed and possibly needing to get through the play-in to make the playoffs.

Nevertheless, the Clippers are facing their old nemesis in a Sunday matinee game. And after the Hawks debacle, there is no team that can be considered an easy win. The Clippers are going to need to focus on Tyrese Maxey to cut the head off the snake and get a win.

Note: This game marks the return of Nic Batum to Crypto.com, and I’m sure he will receive a nice video tribute and standing ovation from the crowd.

Disclaimer: 213Hoops may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this post.

Clippers vs. 76ers Game Preview
David Yapkowitz

The LA Clippers finish off their homestand with their toughest matchup of this stretch against the Philadelphia Sixers.

Game Information

Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA

When: 7:00 PM PT

How to Watch: TNT

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: Terance Mann – Kawhi Leonard – Nicolas Batum – Marcus Morris Sr. – Ivica Zubac

Sixers: DeAnthony Melton – James Harden – Tobias Harris – P.J. Tucker – Joel Embiid

Injury Report

Clippers: Paul George questionable (right hamstring), Luke Kennard out (right calf), John Wall out (abdominal soreness), Brandon Boston Jr. (G League Assignment), Jason Preston (G League Assignment), Moussa Diabate (G League Assignment).

Sixers: Julian Champagnie (G League Assignment), Louis King (G League Assignment).

The Big Picture

It just took only three quarters, but the Clippers were able to string together enough consecutive good possessions on both ends of the court to put away the lowly Houston Rockets on Sunday. They’re currently 2-2 on this homestand with one game remaining against the Philadelphia 76ers before they hit the road for seven (really only six as the Lakers road game doesn’t count) of their last eight games to end the month.

They will be getting some reinforcements back in the form of Marcus Morris, who is set to return after missing the Rockets game with a left knee injury. Paul George has been upgraded to questionable, so it’s likely his status will be determined right before game time.

Kawhi Leonard is also set to play against the Sixers with a back-to-back against the Utah Jazz looming on Wednesday. He had mentioned earlier this month that the plan is for him to eventually play in back-to-backs, so it will be interesting to see what the plan is this time around.

The name of the game for the Clippers has been staying ready. With a revolving door of a rotation once again, different players have been thrust into different roles sometimes as quickly as the snap of a finger. Amir Coffey mentioned that he didn’t know he would be in the starting lineup against the Rockets until about 20 minutes before tip-off. Reggie Jackson, one of the team’s mainstays, returned to the rotation on Sunday in the absence of John Wall after being out of the lineup for a couple of games. Robert Covington, who has been racking up DNP’s for the majority of the season, has been a crucial part of the lineup recently. Brandon Boston Jr. got some of his first extended minutes of the season on Sunday and was solid.

Tyronn Lue mentioned after the Rockets game that the defensive intensity the Clippers came out with in the second half, specifically in the fourth quarter, was something they should be able to build on. It’s that type of defense that needs to be present from the opening tip. The Clippers are still among the top 10 in defense in the league, but they have been having lulls on that end as well.

The Antagonist

The Philadelphia 76ers come to town having turned things around in a big way since their slow start to the season. They’ve looked more like the team that has the potential to be a force in the Eastern Conference. They’re 15-5 over their last 20 games and 2-0 on their current road trip. They’ve become one of the top defensive teams in the NBA. They’re fourth in the league in opponents points per game and fourth in defensive rating.

It’s no coincidence that the Sixers strong play over the last 20 games has come with James Harden making his return to the lineup after being sidelined for 14 games with a foot injury. Joel Embiid may be the Sixers best player, but Harden is the engine that makes the team run on offense. He has been playing some of his best basketball in a Sixers uniform during this stretch and the last time these two teams met back on Dec. 23, Harden had a triple-double with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 21 assists.

Slowing down Harden will be no easy task. Neither will stopping Embiid, who exploded for 44 points on that Dec. 23 game. They’ve been playing as arguably the best duo in the league and they were crucial down the stretch of their last win against the LA Lakers.

Limiting turnovers, one of the Clippers major problems this season, is vital, as Harden will punish the Clippers in transition. Defense, especially perimeter defense, will be key too as the Sixers are fourth in the NBA in three-point percentage at 37.9 percent. The Clippers need to limit their offensive lulls as well as the Sixers can put up points in hurry and will surely take advantage of that.

This will be the Clippers toughest matchup of their five-game homestand. If they can get a win, it should help to build some momentum before going on the road.

Clippers vs. Philadelphia Sixers Game Preview
David Yapkowitz

The LA Clippers will have something to stew about over Christmas after a brutal 119-114 loss to the surging Philadelphia Sixers.

Summary

The game started out as well as the Clippers could have hoped for, as they used a suffocating defense and sharp offense on the road to silence the Sixers as they built up a 20 point lead, 58-38 in the third quarter. Everything was clicking and the team looked like they had carried over the momentum from the big win against the Charlotte Hornets.

But the end of the second quarter should have been a sign for things to come. Whether the Clippers just got too comfortable and stopped doing the things that got them the lead or the Sixers decided to wake up, the Clippers did not go into halftime on such a great note. They allowed the Sixers to end the quarter on a 13-5 run to slice the lead almost in half to 63-51.

The Clippers did start the third quarter fairly well and maintained their double-digit lead, but it all fell apart towards the end of the quarter. The Sixers used an 8-0 run to pull within 74-69 and by the end of the third quarter, the game was tied.

The Sixers used a 12-4 run to surge past the Clippers, 97-89 in the fourth quarter, but the Clippers battled back behind a strong effort from Kawhi Leonard. After falling behind, 107-105, Nicolas Batum knocked down a key three-point shot in the corner to give the Clippers a 108-107 lead. That was the last time the Clippers would be up, however.

The Sixers closed the game on a 12-6 run, including eight straight points, to effectively close the door on the Clippers hopes for a win.

Notes

Despite the loss, Kawhi Leonard continues to find his rhythm and is beginning to resemble more and more the five-time All-Star that he is. His movement is coming back, especially his ability to turn the corner on offense, and against the Sixers he finished with 28 points on 63.2 percent shooting. A few games earlier against the Washington Wizards, he had 31 points on 46.2 percent shooting. The loss may sting considering the fact that the Clippers were up big, but a healthy Leonard in game shape is what the big picture is all about.

Clippers choke away 20-point lead in loss to Sixers
David Yapkowitz

The LA Clippers embark on a five-game road trip with a full healthy roster to end the year, with the first stop against the rolling Sixers. Keep reading for a full preview of the Clippers’ game against the Sixers.

Game Information

Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA

When: 4:30 PM PT

How to Watch: Clippervision, Bally Sports SoCal

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: Reggie Jackson – Paul George – Kawhi Leonard – Marcus Morris – Ivica Zubac

Sixers: Shake Milton – James Harden – Tobias Harris – P.J. Tucker – Joel Embiid

Injury Report

Clippers: John Wall (right ankle) questionable, Brandon Boston Jr. (G League Assignment), Jason Preston (G League Assignment), Moussa Diabate (G League Assignment).

Sixers: Tyrese Maxey (left foot) out, Saben Lee (G League Assignment), Julian Champagnie (G League Assignment).

The Big Picture

For the first time since the beginning of the season, the Clippers have a fully healthy roster. After the win against Charlotte on Wednesday, multiple players acknowledged that there was a different energy in the building and that it almost felt like opening night.

Throughout the game, there were flashes of what this team’s ceiling can be. It was a good win and a good chance for this team to starting building the type of rhythm and chemistry they have been unable to thus far with the rotating lineup.

They’ll get the opportunity to be tested on this upcoming road trip beginning with the Philadelphia 76ers. They will also face the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers, two playoff teams in the Eastern Conference. They’ll see the Toronto Raptors who have had a difficult start to the season, but are a tough team nonetheless.

The offense was clicking for the Clippers with a season-high 126 points and 22 made three-pointers. For the most part, the defense looked strong as well. Even with their early struggles, the Clippers have been one of the best defensive teams in the NBA; third in opponents points per game (107.5) and fourth in defensive rating (109.2). But they’ve been dead last in points per game (30th at 107.6) and offensive rating (29th at 109.2). You couldn’t tell the way they shot the ball against the Hornets. The type of ball movement and open shot making they displayed is hopefully a sign of things to come now that everyone is back in the lineup.

The Antagonist

The Sixers have had their struggles to begin this season, but they have seemingly turned things around and have seen the return of James Harden to the lineup after missing 14 games with a foot injury. They are still without rising star Tyrese Maxey, who is expected to be sidelined until next month sometime.

Currently, the Sixers are 6-0 on their homestand and playing some of the best basketball they’ve played all season. They’re second in the league in both opponents points per game and defensive rating so all the shots the Clippers got against the Hornets might not come so easy. They’re a middle of the pack offensive team though so the Clipper defense is going to be crucial to keep this game close.

Clippers vs. Sixers Game Preview
David Yapkowitz

The Clippers trailed almost the entire game and by double-digits from the mid-1^st quarter on, losing in a rout to the Sixers at home in LA. Keep reading for a full recap of the Clippers’ loss to the Sixers.

Summary

The Clippers started the game up 5-0, but any hopes of a fast start quickly faded. The Clippers’ offense sunk back into the muck in which it’s lived the past few weeks, while the Sixers forced turnovers and scored easily in transition. A 19-2 spurt by the Sixers saw them claim an early double-digit lead. The offense picked up a bit with the second unit, in that they were able to get into the paint and find open shooters, but the shots still refused to fall. A brief 8-0 run cut a 21 point lead down to 13, but a Tobias Harris three to end the quarter saw the Sixers hold a 35-19 lead after one.

The Clippers’ second unit continued to play well, keyed on offense by Isaiah Hartenstein and Terance Mann’s aggression around the rim and on defense by Robert Covington. With great effort, the Clippers trimmed the lead down to 10. However, as soon as the starters returned, the Sixers regrew their lead in a flash, pushing it back to 18. At that point, halfway through the period, Zubac, Reggie, and Morris were a combined 0-15 from the field. Nic Batum had some inspired play to help the Clippers hang around, but Embiid and Harden were just unstoppable, and the Sixers went into halftime up 64-43.

Marcus Morris was on the bench to start the second half for rest purposes, and Terance Mann took his place. Reggie Jackson had a couple early buckets, forcing a Doc Rivers timeout. The Sixers quickly got back on track, and while they had some bad turnovers, were able to force some ugly ones by the Clippers in turn. The Clippers’ offense finally got going as the quarter went along, mostly led by Amir Coffey, but they simply could not stop Joel Embiid, and when they tried to get the ball out of his hands, the other Sixers hit their open threes. Despite a much improved offensive period, the Sixers’ lead actually grew by one, holding a 93-71 edge going into the final frame.

The fourth quarter was, essentially, garbage time. The Sixers kept Harden out there to start, no doubt remembering their huge blown lead earlier in the season, but his presence wasn’t really necessary, as the lid was once again on the Clippers’ basket. Brick after brick ended any remaining pretense of a comeback, and the game went along peacefully until its conclusion.

Notes

RoCo’s Defense: The Clippers’ defense was mostly ineffective in this one, but Robert Covington’s was not. The forward continued his brilliant play as a Clipper with five rebounds, a steal, and three blocks in just 24 minutes. Despite the game being a massacre almost from start to finish, the Clippers were a mere -1 in RoCo’s minutes, which might not mean much, but probably means at least a little bit. I understand that Marcus Morris and Nic Batum are ingrained veterans on this team, but when the games really matter in a few weeks, Covington should probably be playing 30+ minutes per game most nights.

DJ Sad: It’s tough to watch De’Andre Jordan these days. One of the most athletic big men ever to grace the NBA hardwood and a magnificent Clipper, DJ has lost most of his athleticism and can no longer protect the rim, throw down, or guard on the perimeter like he used to. Still a big body and with smarts, DJ remains a good rebounder, but that’s just about all he’s good for, and it’s not worth the rest of his warts. This is probably the last rodeo for DJ.

There’s really not much else to say about this one, so that will do it for this recap of Sixers’ dominant win over the Clippers. Commiserate in the comments below.

Clippers vs. Sixers Recap: Clips Blown Out At Home
Robert Flom